Firefly star Alan Tudyk opened up about the TV show’s unexpected cancellation and enduring fandom. Created by Buffy the Vampire SlayerJoss Whedon’s space western follows the adventures of war veteran Captain Malcolm Reynolds (Nathan Fillion) and his renegade crew of smugglers aboard the Firefly-class spaceship, Serenity. Debuting on Fox in September 2002, the series received low ratings and after 11 of its 14 produced episodes were broadcast, Firefly was canceled in December of the same year. However, it sold strongly on DVD and developed a cult following.
In an episode of Mythical Kitchen on YouTube, Tudyk, who played pilot Hoban ‘Wash’ Washburne on the show, reflected on the cancellation and the enduring fandom, which continues to be held in high regard more than 20 years later. When asked: “What is it about Firefly that has caused such fervent fandom?” the star responded by nicknaming him “greatest TV show of all time.” He discussed the backstory that led to the show’s cancellation and revealed that poor ratingsultimately played a major role in Fox’s decision-making. Check out the clip below:
“I think it was the best TV show ever. See, there’s a lot of good TV shows out there now, a lot of good ones. But it hasn’t been done since. Nothing like it. It’s a Western in space. And I know that some of you are like “Cowboy Bebop!” but that’s all… and it didn’t work, I mean, respect, but it really didn’t work.
I mean, there was only one season of that too, but anyway, ours, every episode – we had a movie too – every episode, there would be another adventure. We would be on another planet. And people didn’t watch it when it came out. It’s not like we got great ratings and Fox said “Canceled anyway!” Nobody watched the thing. They said, let’s put an old Adam Sandler movie in its place, and we were like, you can’t do that! They say, let’s see if it gets better ratings. Got better ratings. It was what it was.”
It seems like the show just didn’t resonate at the time
Tudyk’s comments show that the main issue Firefly found during the broadcast was that people simply didn’t watch. However, it should be noted that many of the episodes aired in the wrong order. Fox actually aired the third episode “The Train Job” as a pilot, instead of the actual double pilot episode, titled “Serenity”. This led to the show being a confusing mess and the audience not getting pertinent information or character backstories at the time they needed it. In many ways, the show was doomed from the start, but it performed much better on home video where viewers could watch it in the correct order.
However, despite its lack of viewership, the show developed a cult following and is still popular in science fiction and fantasy circles. One major factor could be due to Tudyk’s comments about the show being unique and the adventure format that drove it. The idea of a Western space setting is not particularly new, but it is not common, and the way Firefly ran was different from other science fiction shows. The fact that nothing similar has been done since then, except for those convicted Cowboy Bebop live-action show, likely serves to keep the fandom strong and engaged.
Our verdict on FireflyThe lasting legacy
It’s a program with a lot to say
Perhaps Firefly’s enduring appeal comes from Whedon’s proposition – nine people looking into space and seeing nine different things. It is a human story that many can relate to and is thematically relevant to modern times, exploring power, corruption, rebellion, independence, regret and loss. Firefly was a show that had something to say, said it intelligently, and told epic yet relatable stories of human beings trying to find their place in the universe. There is no doubt Firefly It could have been considered one of the greatest TV shows of all time if it had run its course, but the martyrdom only added to its legend.
The show spawned the 2005 film Serenitywhich served as a continuation of the series.
Source: Mythical Kitchen